CB/GC 
COB IN 
BRPNCH 


No. 1206. 


UC 493 

fi5 SPECIFICATIONS FOR SHOES. 

1914 

)14, in lieu of specifications adopted May 7,1913 (No. 1188), which are canceled.) 

Copy 1 

atterns .—The shoes to be made on Government stand¬ 
out to conform to Government standard patterns. 

Materials. —Vamps, quarters, tongues, stays, and side linings are 
subjected to different degrees of wear. These five parts, therefore, 
need not be of same substance of material, but each must be of 
first quality, for”the class in which it is used, and equal in all respects 
to the standard sample. Sole leather is^to be tanned from green 
salted hides, of good fiber and weight, free from impurity, excessive 
weighting or other matter not required in the preparation of leather 
of the first quality, free from any blemishes from curing that will 
affect the wearing qualities of the leather after tanning, and equal 
in all respects to the standard sample. No leather, the quality of 
which has been impaired by materials used or by the process of 
tanning, shall be used. 


UPPER LEATHER. 


Note. — Bidders must state whether vegetable or chrome tan will be 
used for uppers ami submit samples if required. 

Vamps and toe caps. —To be of plump russet-tanned full-grain 
calf, veal, or veal kips, not to exceed twenty-three (23) nor be less 
than twelve (12) square feet in size, of uniform thickness, quality, 
and color. No flanky or inferior leather to be used. 

Quarters. —To be cut from same kind of leather as the vamps, but 
of substance suitable for quarters. 

Outside backstays. —To be of same material and quality as vamps, 
and to be of proper substance and properly skived. 

Inside backstays. —To be cut from chrome or vegetable tanned 
Russia calf or bleached calfskins, of proper substance and properly 
skived. 

Tongues. —To be cut from the same kind of leather as the vamps, 
but of a substance suitable for tongues.. 

Side linings. —To be cut from same kind of leather as vamps, but 
of a substance suitable for side linings. 

Heel pads. —Best bark-tanned russet sheepskins of good substance. 

(N. B.—Quality for quarters, inside backstays, tongues, and side 
lining is fixed under “ Materials.”) 

BOTTOM STOCK. 

Note. — Bidders must submit samples of bottom stock if required. 
Bidders must state in their proposals whether they propose to use 1 ‘ Oak ’ ’ 
or “ Union” tanned leather for insoles, counters, rands, and welts, and 
whether “Oak,” u Union,” or “Hemlock” tanned leather for heel lifts . 

Outsoles.—' to b{ of best quality, cut from bends, from green- 
salted hides, “Texas,” or equal of standard “Oak” tannage, soles 


2 


if G4<13 

*A^ 

to be ten iron in substance. No soles with brands in fore part or 
shank to be used. 

Note.: —The iron herein referred to is one forty-eighth ( ? V) of an 
inch. 

Insoles. —To be of best quality and to be cut from “Oak” or 
“Union” tanned leather of standard tannage, with fiber strong, 
and of quality well adapted to purpose, avoiding soles so hard as 
to tear in sewing or soles so soft jis to stretch in use. To be uncur¬ 
ried, scarfed, and not less than six iron in substance. 

Counters.- —To be of first quality, in one piece, and cut from “Oak” 
or “Union” leather of standard tannage, of firm, strong fiber, and 
not less than six iron in substance. No molded counters to be 
used. 

Top pieces.- —To be of best quality, cut from bends, from standard 
tannage of “Hemlock” leather, free from any blemish that will 
affect the wear. Top pieces to be ten iron in substance. No com¬ 
pressed top pieces will be accepted. 

Heel lifts. —To be of grain whole lifts, cut from “Oak,” “Union,” 
or “Hemlock” sole leather, no lift to be less than five iron in 
substance. 

Rands. —To be of “Oak” or “Union” tanned sole leather, of good 
fiber and proper thickness for curve of heel seat. 

Welts. —Full grain “Oak” or “Union” tanned welting of first 
quality nine-sixteenths (-^) of one (1) inch wide and one-eighth (J) 
of one (1) inch thick. 

LININGS AND FINDINGS. 

Note. — Bidders must submit samples of lininqs and findings if 
required. 

Cotton drilling for linings. —To stand a strength test of not less 
than one hundred (100) pounds per inch in the warp and not less 
than ninety (90) pounds in the filling. Weight to be not less than 
eleven (11) ounces per yard, thirty-six (36) inches wide. 

Laces. —Each pair of shoes to be supplied with a pair of brown 
cotton tubular laces, thirty-six (36) inches in length, with metal 
tips, and to stand a tensile strength of one hundred and twenty (120) 
pounds. Dye to be fast. 

Silk thread. —To be letter “D” size of standard make, and to 
stand a strength test of twelve (12) pounds. 

Linen thread. —To be best quality linen of following sizes: Three 
cord 60, nine cord, and ten cord. 

White cotton tape. —One-half (£) inch wide, of good quality, with 
finished edges. 

Pull straps. —Of strong three-fourths (|> inch brown tubular 
cotton webbing. 

Eyelets. —To be of metal, with brown celluloid tops, having an 
opening not less than three-sixteenths (■&) inch in diameter. 

Shank pieces. —Leather board reinforced with steel. To be rights 
and lefts, corresponding with shape of inseam, and medium bend. 
Thickness of steel one thirty-second (^) of an inch; width of steel 
five-eights (f) of an inch; iength of steel, sizes 5 to 6J, three and 

a of o r 

FEB' *j} 5915 


one-quarter (3J) inches; 7 to 8*, three and one-half (3*) inches; 9 to 
10J, three and three-fourths (3f) inches; 11 to 12, four (4) inches. 

Bottom filling. —Ground cork or leather, and rubber cement, or 
equal. 

Nails. —To be of Swede iron No. 14, one and one-sixteentli (lyg-) 
inches long. 

. Steel wire for slugging heels—To be letter “P” or No. 125, four- 
eighths (•§-) inch long. 

Rubber cement —To be used throughout and of the best quality. 

All of the material to be of the best commercial quality as shown 
by the cut standard sample. 

All shoes to be of first quality as shown by standard sample. 
CUTTING AND MAKING. 

Vamps. —-The entire vamp to be cut in one piece, and in such a 
manner as to bring the seam perpendicular at the inner side of heel, 
joined by a welt stitched on the inner side and supported by tape 
stitched on each side with one row of silk. The vamps for sizes 5 and 
6 will be of lighter substance, those for 7, 8, and 9 of medium sub¬ 
stance, and those for 10, 11, and 12 of heavy substance. No fianky 
or inferior leather to be used. All vamps to be crimped. To be 
stitched to the quarters with four rows of silk. Vamp lining to be 
same as the quarter lining. 

Toe caps. —To have one row of holes punched and to be stitched 
with four rows of silk by a lock-stitch machine. The cap, vamp, and 
lining to extend to the end of shoe, and all lasted in together. 

Quarters. —To be regular seamed at the back one (1) inch from 
top, the remainder with butted seam stitched with zigzag machine 
and reinforced at top by stitching on each side of seam with one row 
of silk through lining and pull strap. To have a beading or fold at 
top three-sixteenths (^-) inch deep when finished, stitched with one 
row of silk. 

Outside backstays. —To cover back seandfrom bottom of quarters 
upward to within one-lialf (J) inch of top. To be one (1) inch wide 
at top of vamp, and shaped as shown in standard sample. To be 
stitched with two rows of silk through the quarters and inside back¬ 
stays catching by same two rows of stitching the pull strap not less 
than one-half (J) inch from top. 

Inside backstays— To be one (1) inch wide at top and seven (7) 
inches wide at heel seat, to be stitched to cotton-drill lining with one 
row of linen conforming to prick holes in lining, and to be caught by 
four rows of vamp stitching and smoothly pulled in the lasting. At 
the top is securely fastened a pull strap, inserted with one end lap¬ 
ping the other one-half (J) inch to give skived effect. 

Tongues— To be one-half (J) bellows, properly crimped and to 
extend to edge of quarter and to act as eyelet stay. To be stitched 
to edge of quarter with one row of silk. To have two extra rows of 
silk about three-fourths (}) inch from edge through tongue, lining, 
and quarter. The tongue to be inserted between the vamp and 
lining, and stitched through with two rows of silk. To be attached 
to the quarter in such a manner as will bring the corner of tab to 


4 


prick mark on vamp without strain or crowding. The tongue to be 
so placed under vamp that the crotch shall be tight against water or 
gravel. Edges to be skived, if required. 

Side linings. —To be neatly skived with about one-lialf (J) inch 
lap at counter, and to extend to and be sewed in at end of toe cap. 
Width as shown by standard sample. To be cemented to vamp. 

Heel fads. —To be cut for size 8 shoe, three (3) inches long, and 
graded proportionately for other sizes. To be securely cemented in 
place. 

Oulsoles. —To be properly tempered and cemented, laid with a sole 
laying machine, and rounded with a rough rounding machine. Out- 
soles to be stitched by a lock-stitch machine with nine cord first 
quality linen thread, about eight stitches to the inch. Bottoms to 
be properly leveled. 

Counters. —To be neatly skived at edges all around, following the 
best practice for the purpose. Counters to be inserted between vamp 
and lap of quarter, as shown in standard sample. 

Heels. —To be one (1) inch over all and to be carefully built, well 
cemented, well compressed, filling the mould full and thoroughly 
dried before using. To be secured with nails three to the inch, with 
two nails additional at breast. Top pieces to be slugged with wire 
not less than seven slugs to the inch, one row around the heel and 
one-half row extra on the outer side of heel. Not less than five slugs 
at breast. The heels to be thoroughly trimmed, sanded, and burn¬ 
ished. Joints to be true and evened. 

Rands. —To be in one piece, five-eighths (f) inch wide and caught 
by the heel nails. 

Welts. —To be properly grooved, beveled, and sewed with a ten 
cord best quality linen thread, three and one-lialf (3J) stitches to 
the inch. 

Bottom filling . —After shoes have been inseam-trimmed, and welts 
beat out, the bottom filler is to be carefully applied in such a manner 
that the filled bottoms shall present a uniform and smooth surface 
upon which to lay the outsole. 

Shank pieces. —Cemented to insole. No tacks to be used. 

Lasting.— The upper shall be pulled over at the toe and heel lasted 
across the ball and at the waist by hand, or in a manner equal to 
hand lasting. Bed machines then to be used to finish the lasting so 
as to carefully wipe or crimp the toe and heel into place. 

Seat nails.— To extend around heel seat to ends of welt, and to be 
nailed with a loose nailing machine, three nails to the inch. 

Edges. —The edges are to be trimmed square, except inside shank, 
which is to be rounded, set up twice with hot irons, made solid and 
smooth. 

Quarter linings. —To lap the vamp jining, and to be stitched to¬ 
gether with sixty, three-cord ^thread. Vamp lining to be crimped 
and cemented to the vamp, smooth and free from wrinkles under 
the toe cap. The quarter lining to be pricked and back stay stitched 
on in conformity to pricking. 

Eyelets. —Shoes of size 5 to 8J, inclusive, to have eight and sizes 9 
to 12, inclusive, to have nine eyelets on each side. 


5 


Miscellaneous. Shoes to remain at least four days on the lasts. 
Each pair to be properly treed. Bottoms of shoes to be cleaned 
without the use of acids or other chemicals. If cleaned with water 
the soles must not be dried quickly. Hot iron will not be used in 
polishing. Shoes must be of uniform color and each pair to be 
mated. Sizes and widths of shoes to be marked on bottom and 
lining. Each pair of shoes to be packed in pasteboard cartons. 
Name of contractor, date of contract, specification number, and 
depot to be stamped on lining of each shoe with indelible ink. 

Sizes and measurements To run from 5 to 12 in one-lialf sizes, 
and A, B, C, D, E, and EE widths, measurements of shoes, when 
finished, based on 8-C, to be as follows: 



Last measurements. 

Shoe measurements. 






Length of— 

Height of 
shoe. 

Heel. 

Width. 


<£> 

M 

Instep. 

Waist. 

Ball. 

Toe cap. 

d 

1 

> 

Counter. 

At back. 

At side. 

Length. 

Width. 

Across breast. 

Height. 

Sole at ball. 

Shank. 


Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

Ins. 

A. 

12 H 

\ L 

8ft 

m 

2H 

6 

9 X 

5 X 

6 

3 

2 -TS 

2* 

1 

3H 


B. 

12 X 

; 9 H 

m 

8 X 

m 

6 

9 y 2 

4$ 

6 

3 

2f§ 

2 t 8 o 

1 

4 

2fa 

C. 

13 

m 

9ft 

Ws 

m 

6 

9 X 

5 X 

6 

3 

2« 

2 A 

1 

4* 

2y 4 5- 

D. 

13 X 

9M 

9ft 

9 Ys 

m 

6 

9Y 

5Y 

6 

3 

2f| 

m 

1 


2ft 

E. 

13*$ 

10 

9ft 

9Ys 

2H 

6 

9 X 

5 X 

6 

3 

2M 

2H 

1 


EE. 

13Y 

i 10H 

9H 

9V 8 

2ft 

6 

9 X 

5Y 

6 

3 

2H 

211 

1 


2ft 

Each size to d ifTer.... 

X 

X 

X 

X 

ft 

Ys 

X 

Ys 

Ys 

ft 

A 

A 

0 

fa 

ft 

Permissible variation 

Ys 

Ys 

H 


ft 

Ys 

X 

Ys 

Ys 

Tff 

A 

T? 

■fa 

fa 

ft 


All points not covered by these specifications as to materials to be 
like and equal in all respects to the standard samples. 

All points not covered by these specifications as to the completed 
shoe to be like and equal in all respects to the standard sample shoes 
adopted by the department from samples submitted by the respective 
bidders and so designated at the time award is made. 

J. B. ALESHIRE, 

Chief, Quartermaster Corps, United States Army. 

War Department, 

Office, Chief, Quartermaster Corps. 

499994. 









































































































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library of congress 














